Serological markers in Arabs with lupus nephritis

The aim of this study was to characterize the autoantibody profile of Arabs with lupus nephritis (LN). Therefore, the records of 42 Arabs with classical systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were reviewed. Twenty one (50%) with LN and 21 without. Most patients with LN have developed their nephropathy within the first five years of the disease. Only C3 hypocomplementemia achieved statistically significant correlation in nephritic patients and anti ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibodies in non-nephritic patients. The difference in anti double stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies was insignificant (P=0.107), as both groups had markedly high prevalence of these antibodies. In addition, there was no significant negative association between detectable rheumatoid factor (RI) and patients with LN. We also examined the spectrum of specific entities of antibodies that had previously been reported in association with LN in other series (anti Smith (Sm), RNP and SS-A without anti SS-B, anti SS-A and SS-B, anti RNP and Smith, anti RNP and dsDNA and anti RNP and SS-A antibodies). None has shown any correlation with renal disease, P=1.00, P=0.591, P=0.613, P=0.195 and P=0.148, respectively. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that Arab patients with LN do not exhibit a distinctive serological profile, nonetheless it provides useful information to studies of SLE in different ethnic or racial groups.